Winter? Bah. We laugh at winter from the high perch of our 2010 Ram 1500 SLT Crew Cab. November was tame as Michigan Novembers go, but December gave us some snow, ice and the freezing temps that this big truck thrives on.

Our mornings began with a touch of the remote-start button and got rolling with heated seats and a heated steering wheel. This Ram was made for cold-weather climates with its heated touch points and a navigation screen that is usable while the driver is wearing gloves. Add to that a set of monster tires, the tall ride height and four-wheel drive--well, a trip to see Santa at the North Pole wouldn't be out of the question.

Beyond the usual winter duties, the Ram was tasked with some hauling and tackled it with gusto. A fold-out couch that was just a little too big with the tailgate closed fit easily using the bed extender. An approaching snowstorm didn't even affect the moving plans. A few bungee cords, a tarp and the included tie-down points in the bed made for a clean trip.

The holidays brought us more cargo to carry. One staffer threw some stuff in the bed and saved interior space for the ceramic, artistic and generally fragile gifts. The interior of the cab transforms for extra room just as the bed does. The rear seats fold up out of the way for a little extra space or for odd-shaped goods.

The key to this truck, whether hauling cargo or people, is the coil springs in the rear. Truck users can argue until their kegs run dry about the merits of leaf springs compared with coil springs, but as far as comfort goes, it's a no-brainer. This Ram delivers a ride comparable to that of a large SUV; think Chevrolet Suburban.

The one thing the weather did take its toll on was our nearly year-old windshield wipers. Dirt, salt and chunks of ice had our main viewing point streaked and filthy, even after a wash. Luckily, Rain-X was there to save the day, sending us some new wipers and Rain-X treatment to protect the glass. The install was relatively painless, and now the upgraded wipers take care of all the wet stuff.

Combined fuel economy for the last few months stayed steady at 14.5 mpg. We logged 3,813 miles over the same period. This truck has the upgraded 32-gallon gas tank. That, plus 18 mpg on the highway, gives this truck a range of more than 500 miles in road-trip mode.

As we said, this truck laughs in the face of winter. And with the North Pole being a mere 3,292 miles from One AutoWeek Tower, we may just get an early start on next year's Christmas list.